The present invention relates to a two-way data communication method in data broadcast signals transmitted by television broadcast or telephone circuit, and a two-way data communication apparatus by the same method, and the apparatus relates to a two-way communication apparatus comprising a data broadcast decoder for decoding the data broadcast signals transmitted by television broadcast or telephone circuit, a display unit for displaying the video signals of television broadcast or data broadcast, and a modem connected to the telephone circuit.
In particular, it relates to a two-way communication method applied in a system in which a response server and an individual information server are connected to the telephone circuit, and a two-way communication apparatus using the same method.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline configuration of a data broadcast system with an interactive function. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a television broadcast station, 2 is a data broadcast receiver serving also as television receiver comprising a data broadcast decoder 2a and a modem 2b, and 3 is a response server connected to the data broadcast receiver 2 through a telephone circuit 4 and also connected to the television broadcast station 1 through a telephone circuit 5.
At the television broadcast station 1, character and graphic data, and program for giving interactive property are coded according to predetermined standard, and converted into data signals, and synchronizing codes and error correction codes are added, and are assigned in a data packet to be prepared as data broadcast signal, which is superposed in the vertical blanking period (VBL) of video signal same as in the case of teletext, and is converted into radio wave and broadcast.
In the data broadcast receiver 2, the data broadcast signal is decoded in the data broadcast decoder 2a, and stored and displayed, and is further deciphered as required and processed as specified. If the content of television broadcast is television shopping or opinion survey, the data broadcast signal includes the telephone number and facsimile number of the customer and distributor, which are stored in the memory.
By input means of the data broadcast receiver 2, the merchandise name, quantity of purchase, purchaser's name, address, response data of opinion survey, and others are added, and stored in memory. By dialing automatically, necessary data is transmitted to the response server 3 by the modem 2b through the telephone circuit 4.
The response server 3 collects orders and replies from the individual homes, and processes data according to the prepared instructions from the television broadcast station 1, information provider, or service outlet, and transmits the result of processing to the television broadcast station 1, information provider, or service outlet. In this way, data is transmitted and received interactively (in two ways).
When the user receives presentation of online service between the data broadcast receiver 2 and the response server 3 of information provider or service outlet, for example, in the case of online shopping, the individual information of the user such as name, address and telephone number is indispensable for actually distributing the merchandise to the user or collecting the payment.
If the individual information is held and controlled in the response server, as the response servers in service increase or new response servers are available, the individual information must be registered in the new response servers. It is very troublesome to register every individual information. Still worse, as the response servers holding and controlling the individual information increase, possibility of unexpected leak of individual information to outside increases, and a problem of protection of privacy arises.
To eliminate such inconveniences, separately from the response servers of the information provider and service outlet, it may be considered to establish an organ such as individual information server for holding and controlling individual information exclusively. An individual response server, only when the merchandise order is established, inquires and acquires the individual information of the transaction partner from the individual information server. By holding and controlling the individual information of mass users exclusively in the independent individual information server, it solves the problems of the trouble of individual registrations, and external leak of huge individual information.
When data broadcast signals are superposed on television broadcast, various information can be presented inexpensively over a wide area (coverage). Thus, various information providers can transmit information.
However, since the individual users present the individual information to the information providers and service outlets, if huge individual information leaks, it can arouse the problem of protection of privacy. It is hence necessary to protect the information of individual users.
In particular, if the individual information is held and controlled in the response server, every time the response servers increase in number, the individual information must be registered. It is very troublesome, and also possibility of unexpected leak of individual information to outside increases, and a problem of protection of privacy arises.
To receive presentation of various online services such as online shopping transacted through telephone circuit between the data broadcast receiver and response server as mentioned above, registration of user individual information such as name, address and telephone number is indispensable.
Such individual information is, however, subject to change. When moving the residence, the address and telephone number are change. If the residence is not changed, the telephone number can be changed. The name may be changed by marriage or the like. Although the individual information is changed, if the individual information registered in the individual information server is unchanged, the user cannot receive presentation of online service, and the information provider or service outlet cannot do business. According to the rule of the beneficiary's burden, the user must request the individual information server to renew (update) the registration of individual information when the own individual information is changed.
Actually, however, the user often notices the necessity of updating only when making use of presentation of online service. Since it is not updated yet, actually, the user cannot receive presentation of online service when desired. It is far from organic function of the two-way data communication system.
To function the two-way data communication system organically, therefore, it is considered to urge periodically the user to update if the individual information is changed.